Agreed, Alex. Although you might disagree with Luq's take on the situation, it's an interesting apparent anomaly and you could hardly call his post hysterical or hateful, as some responses seem to suggest.

What's puzzling me right now is why Kindle offers no wireless connectivity in Monaco, whereas it does in France itself. That really is odd when you consider the wealthy and tech-savvy middle-agead Anglophone population (a prime target market for ebook sellers, I'd have thought).

And -- before anyone starts on me, too -- I have no prejudice against Monegasques ... I married one. Hoots. Neil

Alex, take a look at the tags "censorship, international, islam, kindle, muslim". They imply a certain opinion by Amazon which aren't based on any real facts.

So, luqmaninbmore, why not ask Amazon first? They're the one I'd have to address this issue to. Especially if I really am taking it seriously. And they're the only one who will provide a substantial reply.

The thread was started by someone checking out an opinion, and giving detailed reasons for his or her concerns. Whether or not the concerns are justified is not the point; the point is that many of the responses read as though the respondent felt personally insulted, and in my opinion at least are disproportionate to the objective way the original post was worded.

I am insulted with it. So what?
They hate America. They attacked it. American company ignores them. What is a big deal? What did they expect?
Am I wrong?

What is wrong with

Quote:

Its not available in Canada either, and yes, I believe you are most certainly rushing to judgment.

No company as huge as Amazon would be able to continue in business with that attitude

Quote:

They are prejudiced against Jews (not available in Israel), also against atheist (not available in communist china). I suspect there is another explanation than bias on their part. It is a serious accusation to jump without any data.

answers?

It was paranoid to start the thread in the first place. I am surprised he received answers mentioned above.

Amazon will probably start to provide books in french to French, in russian to Russia, in german to Germany, etc... But I don't think they can currently support right to left languages such as arabic in the kindle. So they have no reason to start investing in arabic speaking countries...

I am insulted with it. So what?
They hate America. They attacked it. American company ignores them. What is a big deal? What did they expect?
Am I wrong?

It was paranoid to start the thread in the first place. I am surprised he received answers mentioned above.

well I am not going to respond to whether it was paranoia or not that started this thread but...

They attacked it??
which country may that be? I am not aware of any single muslim country ever attacking the US. Or interfering in internal US affairs for that matter...can't say the opposite is true however..
since the question was about kindle not being sold in Muslim countries..

Amazon will probably start to provide books in french to French, in russian to Russia, in german to Germany, etc... But I don't think they can currently support right to left languages such as arabic in the kindle. So they have no reason to start investing in arabic speaking countries...

The Kindle supports a format called "Topaz" which does support right-to-left languages, so Arabic books could be produced for it.

Does Guttenberg offer classics in Arabic, I wonder. I can't read it, but it's a beautiful, artful script just to gaze at. I also love the look of Hebrew and various Oriental examples of loving penmanship.

One of the treasured treebooks I'll hang onto when I clear my shelves of what is now waste paper is one with a tooled, soft, green leather cover written in Arabic and given to me by an old neighbour from Algeria. Can't understand a single letter, but gosh is it a lovely sight.

Our own alphabet of just twenty-six unardorned strokes is gorgeous in its simplicity and expressive potential (not to mention its adaptability to phonetics and other tongues and to modern technology), but it doesn't carry the same breathtaking power at a glance as, say, (for me indecipherable) ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Sorry to side-track a serious thread with an aside. Very best to everyone. Neil

Last edited by neilmarr; 10-08-2009 at 08:10 AM.
Reason: would you believe ... a misplaced comma?

... I'm not trying to sound paranoid or anything, but I did notice that one thing that seems to bind together many of the countries in which the international Kindle will not be sold is that they are Muslim countries. The only Muslim dominated countries that I could find that could receive the Kindle are Albania and Bosnia, which are within Europe, and Tanzania which is in eastern Africa. It is not available for sale within the entire Arab world, even in countries with well-developed infrastructure such as the United Arab Emirates ...

Well, I certainly hope Amazon doesn't have an anti-Muslim bias. Being as the Kindle is just now going international, perhaps they have not yet worked out deals with the countries you mentioned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

There is also a racial bias (it's not available in black).

Well, what more proof is needed?

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

I am insulted with it. So what?
They hate America. They attacked it. American company ignores them. What is a big deal? What did they expect?
Am I wrong?

Yes, you are. Many Muslims are patriotic American citizens and many have served honorably and long in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not every Islamic believer is a terrorist any more than every Christian blows up abortion clinics.